Their Resolve
by Ash Petals
Summary: Sakura was sick and tired of her disappointment, so to rid herself of pain she seeks a distraction. Though if Sasuke secrectly loves her, what will he do when he sees his beloved cherry blossom chase after another man?


**This is my first one-shot. Teacher are always telling me how I babble on too much in my assignments, that I need to get straight to the point. **Sigh****

**SasuSaku**

**Their Resolve**

"_The easy part is hating you, the hard part is knowing I will love you forever." _

She had her resolve, had decided on the path which would lead her out of her disappointment and depression. She had suffered years on end after that night when she was left in the cold night, left unconscious on that concrete bench. She found a light in a darkness she thought was inescapable. She finally found that road that led away from Uchiha Sasuke.

Although, this was a good thing to happen the pink-haired kunoichi, she couldn't help but feel as though she had lost apart of herself, lost that part of her that she had for so long said that belonged to him. After her resolve she had tried to ask for it back, though no matter how hard she tried, that piece of her shattered heart would be with him forever, if he knew it or not.

Haruno Sakura, beside her broken heart, soul and ability to love, was a very powerful and skilled ninja. Having been ranked as a jounin for two years now, she was acknowledged by most of the village. Each day wouldn't go by without a passing smile from an unknown stranger. She worked with her old team once again, Kakashi no longer a teacher, though a team-mate as well. She, Sai, Naruto, and Sasuke had abilities that would rival that of their old sensei.

Naruto hadn't changed, he still wore his orange and black jump suit, always wore that goofy grin on his lips. His dream to become Hokage was still very much his main goal, though his powers now were actually something someone could call worthy for such a status. His childish crush on Sakura had withered away, even the unperceptive Uzumaki Naruto could sense she would not love him back, not that way at least. He was now and had been for a while, showing his adoration, protection and love to the Hyuuga heiress Hinata. The two had been a public couple for almost half a year now, Naruto making her faint on their first date by suddenly kissing her.

Sasuke was still the same, he cared for his team, though never let anyone break his thick and endless barrier. He had returned to Kohona on his own will, after the death of his brother, his experience with Team Hebi and the Ataksuki, he figured he needed to come home. People were sceptic of him at first, especially Tsunade, the Hokage. Though slowly and carefully he had regained mostly everyone's confidence in him. He was allowed on missions, though only with the surveillance of another ninja of the same rank as him. A rank, something very small to cover his ability, although the Hokage had settled on saying he was an "experienced Jounin".

Sakura had been delighted by his return, though she quickly realized that he saw her nothing more than the annoying old friend he knew from their genin years. He acted the same towards her, although she had grown up. She never expressed any emotions that would been mistaken as her being in love with him, although up until her resolve had been fake attempts.

She had tried to look people in a way which she might learn to love them, though how hard she tried she kept failing, nothing could replace the way she had felt about the Uchiha. She had recently been setting her sights on Sai, she figured he knew enough about a human's emotions by now, though still was clueless. Her quiet plan to use his as her distraction hadn't caught anyone's awareness yet, she hadn't made her move yet, and her plan was set to be executed today.

As Sakura left the hospital, she thought deeply about how she would approach the pale and emotionally blank partner everyone knew as Sai. She pondered as she walked through the park's array of many cherry blossom trees. The books she carried were nothing out of the ordinary, new medic techniques, a novel, and things to take her mind off anything but _him_. She had made almost a month without thinking of the Uchiha in that way, she was feeling hopeful, for the first time in what seemed like forever.

As she entered the busy streets of Kohona main village, she set her path on the Ninja Ink shop, a place where someone could almost always find Sai.

People out of respect moved out of her way, they all recognized the symbol on her red top, the beige skirt that sat femininely over the skin tight black pants. Her bubble gum pink hair, that could be noticed from miles away.

She walked through the entrance a the stall, streamers hung from the door frame, and softly brushed though her hair and over her forehead. She immediately noticed her pale skinned partner, and set a forced smile on her lips.

"Sai-kun," She said his name politely, maybe he was smart enough to notice the change, she didn't know.

He turned around, knowing the voice of the pink haired ninja anywhere; he smiled his fake smile at her.

"Hello, Ugly" He said cheerfully.

Sakura's eyelid twitched ever so slightly at the old nickname, for one second she seriously wondered why she had chosen Sai as her distraction. Though she remembered quickly.

She swayed in her stance, feeling unusually nervous about asking him what she was about to ask. She was quite popular with the men in the village, though none had ever captured her ever so fussy interest, except one.

"I was wondering," She gulped, trying to remove the lump forming in her throat. "Would you like to go to lunch with me tomorrow? Like as a date." She made sure he understood the question in full; she was not planning to side step or beat around the bush.

He blinked twice, the sudden question that escaped her lips almost made him fall over, he was wondering if it was a trick question. Her eyes darted to anywhere but his face at first, though finally she set her emerald green gaze on his charcoal black eyes.

"Umm well sure, how about after team training tomorrow?" Sai told her, still stunned, though had remembered this response from one of the many relationship books he had read.

Sakura beamed, this was exactly what she wanted, her distraction plan was working, and it was a miracle.

"Sure!" She smiled again; he smiled unsure back at her.

She skipped out of the stall, making her way back to her apartment in haste, wanting to be able to distract herself as soon as possible. She had gone to bed early that night, readying her ninja pouch for the next day's training.

Sasuke woke early, as he was required, he prepared himself in minutes, he didn't even try to look good, he tried to avoid it, though his onslaught of fan girls continued to stalk him. He grabbed a tomato from his fruit bowl and left the apartment that had been assigned to him.

The morning sun was shining brightly in the sky as he walked to the training grounds; the cherry blossoms in the park gave the sky that extra shade of pink. The colour reminded him of a certain pink-haired ninja, though as quickly as it came to him, he casted it away. He had long ago forgotten hopes that she could still love him, after what he had done to her, why would she? He had felt his hopes rise when she was happy to see him return, though she had been cold and distant to him ever since, like she was only happy he was safe nothing more.

He had decided if she didn't love him anymore, that it hadn't grown any further than a childish crush, that he would have to be cold and distant to mask his lingering feelings. He watched her when she wasn't looking, heard every word she spoke, noticed every skill she gained and had trouble with. He had grown to feel like her personal stalker, her number one fan boy.

He bitterly laughed to himself as he went to lean against the training post in the team's meeting place.

_Oh how pathetic I must sound, even the Dobe has found love, and I'm still in a elementary love story. _Sasuke thought darkly to himself.

Naruto quickly arrived after him, a daggy smile on his face as soon as he saw his old rival and best friend. Naruto had always been happy to see him, unlike Sakura.

"Teme! You're early, as usual." Naruto yelled in his ear, plonking himself on the ground under a near by willow tree.

"Hn" Was all the dark-haired man muttered.

Naruto clicked his tongue and rolled his eyes, it was typical of Sasuke to reply in such a way. Sai arrived next; his oblivious face formed a fake smile which he aimed at both Sasuke and Naruto.

"Hey, idiot, hey, emo." Sai had quickly thought of a nick name for Sasuke, though Sasuke had registered that this was his approach to everyone.

"Tsk" Was all Sasuke muttered in reply to the cheerful greeting.

"Hey idiot," Naruto said just as cheerfully back to Sai.

The pale ninja, once known as Sasuke's replacement went to stand near Naruto, leaving Sasuke standing by himself.

_That's the way I like it,_ He thought to himself, not registering the slight twinge of rejection in his chest.

Sakura and Kakashi arrived at the same time; they had run into to each other, Sakura forcing her old sensei to be on time for once. The only female ninja greeted everyone politely, reserved towards everyone, not paying anymore attention to Sasuke than was needed. When she turned away from him after saying good morning, his eyebrows knitted together in a slight expression of sadness.

"Okay! Now I know I'm no longer the sensei around here, though I am the most "experienced", so I will decide the training methods for today." Kakashi told everyone, the emotion of his excitement was only obvious by the movement of his only eyebrow shown.

Sasuke darted a glance to Sakura who was unusually close to Sai, she seeming to be trying to send him a discreet message. Sai merely smiled at her, once again unaware of the girl's intentions.

Sakura was attempting to tell Sai that she was attracted to him, even though she wasn't, far from it. Though showing him this was apart of her plan, something she wasn't willing to fail at. Sasuke glared at the two, feeling a slight increase of anger, the heat of his body starting to increase.

"We will be doing hand-to-hand combat drills, we will switch partners every ten minutes, there will be one person sitting out each session, and they will rotate in, so begin!" Kakashi told the instructions.

Naruto quickly darted towards Sasuke, always willing to fight his old rival at any chance that was given to him. Sakura walked to Sai, Sasuke noted how she kept willingly directing her attention towards the pale man.

He didn't register he was staring until Naruto punched him across the face, sending him stumbling backwards.

"Wake up, Teme!" Naruto yelled, agitated that they weren't fighting yet.

Sasuke got up quickly, shaking his head twice as if to try and get rid of the thought of Sakura and Sai together. He darted one last glance at the two, Sakura had taken her stance, and was smiling playfully at Sai. Sasuke pulled himself away from the sight, finding the task extremely difficult.

Naruto had proven to be quite a challenge, ending their match in a tie, the ten minutes ended faster than the Uchiha had expected. Naruto rotated out and Kakashi versed Sasuke next, throwing the boy flying into a tree, he was seriously off his game.

When he versed Sai, he felt an uncontrollable urge to kill the man, hastily throwing punches and jabs at the pale ninja. Sai dodged them skilfully, though copped a few punches in the gut that had sent him flying. Sakura had been rotated out at that point and had rushed to Sai immediately, showing obvious concern for the man, this only made Sasuke angrier. Trying to hide his feeling for Sakura was beginning to prove beyond difficult.

The pink haired ninja's hands glowed green and she healed the forming bruise on Sai's upper leg. Sasuke's hands curled into tight fits as her saw the placement of her delicate hands.

"He's fine, Sakura." Sasuke Muttered, "Hurry up and fight me." Sasuke stated, knowing she was his next and final partner.

She paid him no mind, her hands sending a warm healing sensation down the length of Sai's leg; he quickly recovered from his wound.

Sakura got up slower than necessary, feeling reluctant to turn and face the man she was trying so hard not to love. His dark eyes were intense as usual, though the way he watched her was different. The emotion behind his eyes were unusual for him, more open than distant and closed. She discarded it as an unsolvable puzzle, and took her stance to fight the dark-haired ninja.

Sasuke didn't want to test his abilities on Sakura, he was merely happy that she was away from Sai and paying attention to him. His open white shirt moved slightly in the wind, giving Sakura a full view of his defined chest. She narrowed her eyes; she _would not_ give in to him.

Sasuke noticed her notice him, though not in the way that was expected. Some would expect him to be vain over his beauty, be confident that someone was taken away by his looks. Though with Sakura, it seemed he didn't seem to notice her noticing him that way.

"Sasuke," Sakura said his name for no apparent reason, as if to say "Let's start". Sasuke notice the lack of "kun" after his name. It had been like that for a while now.  
She darted towards him, her hands like knives as she swiped for his limbs. Sasuke leant to his left, swiftly dodging the pinkette. Sakura frowned at his superb ability, why did he have to be so damn powerful?

She kicked high into the air, her leg just wisping his dark hair, her hands landed on the ground, and she pivoted in her position. Sasuke watched carefully at her movements. Knowing that he had to pay attention, he swiped a few pointed jabs at her stomach. Sakura leant backwards in an attempt to dodge him, though her heel of her boot got caught. The root of the tree had wedged her heel, and she was now in an unescapable journey to the ground.

She fell backwards, Sasuke watched her, unconsciously leaning forward, moving his hand to try and catch hers, though failed. The pinkette fell to the ground with an audible _thump_. Her head hitting the tree base when she fell. Sasuke had expected her to lie there, though she flipped herself upwards once again.

She stood still for a moment, and then swayed; her head must've hit that tree harder than she had thought.

Sasuke looked at her wearily, expecting her to fall, unsure if it was to pointed if he was to catch her if that event was to occur. Though her dizzy spell ended, she looked at anywhere on his face but his eyes. Sasuke noticed this. His previous anger returned.

_Why won't she look at me properly?! _He yelled, a distinct frown forming on his face.

Sasuke went for her again, still having no intent of harming her; he went for her limbs, intending to knock her over. She expected this; she jumped up into the tree directly above her, flipping herself around the thick branch she had gripped onto. She flung herself out further into the training grounds. She turned, her body coiled into a crouch as she faced the man that she so wanted to learn to hate.

Sasuke's eyes widened briefly at her ability to so quickly read his movements and react to them. A smirk formed on his still frowning face, he was about to charge again when a stern voice rung through his ears.

"Training over!" Kakashi said, his voice no louder than usual, though still gave off the feeling of authority.

Sakura's crouch loosened and she stood once again, seeming to have all the secret tension that had been built between her and Sasuke evaporate. Though it didn't disappear, his actions would haunt her later, if she let them.

"Sai-kun" Sakura called sweetly to the ink-user ninja.

The pale boy looked up at his name being called, quickly remembering the "date" that had been arranged for after training. Sasuke head snapped to look at Sakura's rosy face, a delicate and cheerful smile gracing her lips. He scowled at her, and at the pale man that was claiming her attention.

He released his fighting pose, watching the two from afar once again; unaware of the two watchful eyes of his other two team mates.

"Still going for lunch are we, ugly?" Sai asked a fake smile plastered to his face as he addressed the pink-haired ninja.

Sakura's eye twitched, Sasuke noticed this as a reaction to the name that she had been called. And although he knew that it was just a nickname, he also knew that Sakura was far from ugly, she was his cherry blossom. A cherry blossom that had been caught in the wind, that he kept attempting to catch, though each time he got close the wind got stronger and blew her further away.

Sasuke waited for his cherry blossom's reply, wondering if he was going to have to plan on Sai's demise, depending on her answer.

"Yes" Sakura's voice rung loud and clear through Sasuke's ears, him hearing the exact answer that he had been so hoping that wasn't going to grace his ever so sensitive ears.

"A date?" The blonde ninja to Sasuke's left asked, curious for once about the situation forming in front of him.

"What date, Sakura-chan?" Sakura's smile faltered at the word _date_, she still couldn't believe the levels she would stoop not to think of _him._

"I asked Sai-kun yesterday, and he said yes to have lunch with me!" Sakura's voice was coated with fake enthusiasm.

Sasuke eyes twitched at the words escaping his beloved Sakura's rosy lips, she was going on a date, with _Sai_?

"Oh! Well, me and Hinata-chan could come!" Naruto eyes glowed at the idea of going on a double date.

Sakura couldn't help it, she felt her defiant barrier slip as she darted a fleeting glance at Sasuke's hard face. For all she knew, he couldn't care less, and that was the way that he had made sure she saw him as.

Naruto noticed her glance at the ninja he so often had called his eternal rival, his face smile turned into a smirk.

"You can come if you want, Sasuke-Teme." Sasuke looked at the blonde at his name being mentioned, he immediate answer slipped through his lips.

"No," he told them bluntly.

Sakura shrugged, always trying to keep up with her I _don't care about what Sasuke thinks _façade_._

Sasuke watched as Sakura scooted her stance closer to the pale man, his eyes narrowed as he changed his mind.

"I'll come," He muttered, Naruto smirking to himself, secretly catching onto Sasuke feeling for the kunoichi.

The four ninja's left into the village straight away, Naruto catching up to Hinata on the way. The blonde had caught the pale-eyed kunoichi hand and dragged her along, laughing to himself as the girl blushed profusely at his touch.

They ended up at a fancy ramen restaurant that Naruto had said was the _second_ best in town, next his favourite ramen stall.

Sakura sat awfully close to Sai when they found there secluded booth, Sasuke being placed on the edge next to Hinata, opposite his cherry blossom and his newly formed rival.

They all ordered as Sasuke's gaze was averted to anywhere but Sakura and Sai, or so he was trying to make it seem. Sai was oblivious of the Sharingan-user's feeling towards him and his so called _date's._ This being something that was typical of the pale ex-ANBU member.

After Sakura had successfully made it through her Dango's and under the pressure of not trying to look at her former beloved, she felt she deserved a _restroom break._ She raised gracefully from her seat, leaning around Sai as she exited the booth, her hand accidentally touching Sasuke's knee as she walked past him. She made sure she made it look she hadn't noticed, even though she very much had.

Sasuke hard eyes glared at Sai's face, Naruto and Hinata oblivious, too caught in their young love relationship. Sasuke rose from his seat, unsure of his intention, only knowing he needed to leave.

After he had gotten from his seat, it was like someone else was controlling his legs, and as he walked towards the restrooms his control was slipping further and further away. He leant against the wall next to the female ninja's bathroom door, knowing why he was there, and knowing he wasn't going to be able to stop himself.

The door creaked beside him, and the pink haired kunoichi's form came through the door, Sasuke's eyes snapped to look at her face.

She looked at him, stopping in her tracks, unsure of why he standing there, simply staring at her. He stood up and moved to stand directly in front of her, blocking her path back to her so called date.

Sakura didn't understand, what was he doing here? What could he possibly want with the woman that she had for so long thought he had described as _annoying?_

His eyes narrowed as he looked at her face, her eyes widened in response, she was baffled by his actions.

"Sasuke," She had just said his name when he lost all his intentions of keeping himself hidden, his feeling for her hidden.

His hand moved swiftly and directly to her upper arm, and he walked past her, dragging her along. They went down the Ramen Restaurant's hallway doors, until Sasuke found a suitable secluded corner. His other hand raised to her other upper arm, and he firmly pushed her against the wall.

Her eyes wide, she didn't know what was happening, why was he doing this to her, why now? What had she done for him to try and falter her resolve, when she had been so sure that he would be the last of her worries in that respect.

"Sakura," His voice lingered in the small space around them, "Sakura, why are you on a date with Sai?" Sasuke asked flatly, bluntly the way he approached everything.

She looked at him, wondering how to reply to the question she had never thought would leave his lips, a question she hadn't _thought_ of leaving his lips.

"I like him," She lied shakily, suddenly very aware of his hand on her body, creating rising heat where his bare skin touched her own.

Sasuke's grip unintentionally tightened on her arms, causing Sakura to flinch slightly at the pain, though she said noting.

"I don't believe you," Sasuke whispered darkly.

Before Sakura could mutter a word, or even think of reply, Sasuke spoke again, with more intensity.

"I don't believe you!" His voice was like a shout in the confined space, though both the ninja's knew that no one else would've heard him.

"You don't believe me?" Sakura laughed bitterly at idea of him even trying to believe in _her._

"When have I ever said something that mattered to you, when have I ever said anything that you would need or want to _believe,"_ She was surprised at the anger seeping into her words, and so was Sasuke.

"Always," The one word slipped through his lips unintentionally yet again, and Sakura's eyes widened.

Sasuke's head bowed in front of the pinkette, not as if to greet her or show respect, but in shame. He squeezed his eyes tightly together, already knowing he had dug his own grave, knowing he had to let his feeling for her be spoken.

"Everything you say matters to me, every breath you take, every smile, every tear, every skill you gain, every laugh let loose from your lips, they all matter to me," His voice was husky as he told her, not willing to look at her.

Her eyes seemed as if they couldn't go any wider, was this actually Uchiha Sasuke talking to her?

"Sasuke," She whispered, her back still pinned to the wall.

He looked up at her emerald eyes finally, the depth of what she saw in his eyes almost made her lose balance. In fact, if he wasn't gripping her as hard as he was, she probably would of.

"I'm sorry Sakura, sorry for everything." His voice was the most emotional she had heard it. "What I did to you, what you went through, it's unforgivable. Though for some idiotic reason, I find myself hoping you _will_ forgive me, find it in your heart and soul." His eyes were capturing hers, not willing to let her look away.

She felt the urge to gasp, to scream, to cry, though she didn't, all she felt was the waterfall of her barrier crashing inside her. And although this had been the thing she had been trying so hard to avoid, she couldn't help but feel happy at the return of that missing part of her heart. All the hate she had been trying to form against Sasuke crumbled at his words, her love for him had never died, as she was just realizing it and had secretly always known.

"I love you, Sakura. I know I haven't made it obvious. Heck, I tried everything in my power so that you wouldn't notice." Her eyebrows formed a confused frown at his words, _hide it?_

"I hid it from you, because I was so sure that you didn't feel that way for me anymore, and when I saw you with Sai, I couldn't control them, my wall that had been blocking those emotions cracked and broke at the intensity of my jealousy." Sasuke spoke of himself as if he was disgusted.

Sakura looked at the man she had for so long loved, finally letting the idea of him loving her back seep into her soul.

"I lied," She muttered.

Sasuke looked at her, knowing his emotions, heart and soul were on the line, in the grip of her delicate but powerful hands.

"When you came back, I thought you still thought of me that way. Thought of me as _annoying._" Sakura's words cut into Sasuke like a millions kunai's.

"Though no matter how hard I've seemed to try, I couldn't get rid of this feeling." Her words lingered, Sasuke waiting on her next words, as if his life depended on it.

She sighed, her breath brushing the hair that had fallen in his eyes; the smell of Dango's greeted his nose.

"I love you still, Sasuke" She muttered, not looking him in the eyes.

"Sai was my distraction, a futile attempt to forget _you._" Sasuke flinched at her words, so she had tried to forget him.

Her eyes greeted his, they were filled with tears, Sasuke finally found himself rejoicing, she loved him back, she had never _stopped _loving him.

His hands slid down her arms and coiled around her delicate waist, slowly pulling her against his body. He leant his forehead to hers, brushing his nose on the bridge on hers.

"Sakura," He whispered, he heard her sigh at the sound of her name through his lips.

He carefully moved his lips closer and closer to hers, brushing them together, like a timid bird. He held his face to hers for an immeasurable moment, just letting the feel of her set into his memory.

Finally his lips came down on hers and he gripped her tighter against his body, feeling her wrap her arms around his shoulders and neck. Sakura felt a sense of relief at the touch of his lips, as some permanent dreadful spell had been lifted. He pulled away briefly to look at her smile at him, for so long had he dreamed of her smiling at him like that again.

He kissed her at the corner of eye, brushing his lips against the length of her face and lifting his mouth again. To only smash his lips to hers, not softly but passionately, he squeezed her body to his. As if trying to meld her body to his, never to let her get away from him again. His tongue danced around the edges of her mouth, asking for an entrance, her lips parted at the request. Their tongues moved together in a motion as if it had been rehearsed, as if they were made for each other.

Sakura pulled away, Sasuke's eyebrows immediately knitted together, worrying what he had done wrong. A small smile graced her lips, as her kissed him softly, enjoying the moment, feeling completely and utterly safe in his tight grasp.

"I love you," He muttered again, finally comprehending that she was his, and no one else's.

"I love you too," She told him, at her words he buried his face in the crook of her neck. Her chin resting on the top of his black hair, she sighed also realizing that he was hers.

"_I never stoped loving you, I just stop letting it show."_

**Now my lovely's, I would like for you to do a favour. Not for me, but for the poor old reveiw button that waits at the end of every story/chapter, for a smimple peck, a kiss from the white mouse maiden.**

**Please grant him that wish, make his dream come true. Let him discover his happily ever after.**

**Tell me what you think, what you like. **

**Constructive Critism IS appreciated.**

**_Oh yeah, and tell me if I should write a sequel, like about their relationship or something._**


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